The Ralph The Mouse Book series is a classic trilogy from much loved children’s author Beverly Cleary. For everything you need to know about this much loved classic series then read on!
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About The Author
Beverly Cleary is one of America’s most successful children’s authors – she is responsible for bringing us many well known characters such as Henry Huggins and Ribsy, Ramona Quimby and Beezus Quimby and of course the main mouse himself, Ralph S Mouse! Beverly Cleary was born on April 12 1916 and sadly passed away on March 25 2021. In a career spanning many years her books have sold over 91 million copies worldwide since her first book was published in 1950.
She was inspired to start writing books when she was working as a children’s librarian. Her patrons told her that they wanted to find characters that they could identify with and Cleary struggled to find recommendations for them. So after years of looking for recommendations and giving live performances Cleary wrote her first series of novels, Henry Huggins. Like many of her works Henry Huggins is about ordinary people and was based on her own experiences growing up. Cleary’s works are often praised for their attention to detail and the realism that they generate towards the daily small details of childhood and growing up. Her books have stood the test of time and are still loved by children today as much as they were when they were first published in the 1950s.
Ralph The Mouse Series In Order
The Ralph The Mouse series introduces to the titular mouse and the friends he meets along his adventures. The books series was inspired by Cleary’s son when she watched him playing with his toy cars and motorcycles when he was recovering from a fever.
The first book in the series is The Mouse And The Motorcycle, which was published in 1965 and illustrated by Louis Darling. This book introduces the titular mouse who can speak to humans (mostly only consisting of children though). Ralph lives with his family in a run down hotel but longs for excitement and adventure. In the hotel he befriends a boy called Keith and discovers Keith’s toy motorcycle, a discovery which will lead him onto some big yet also dangerous adventures.
The second book in the series is Runaway Ralph, which sees Ralph deciding to leave home and he finds himself at a the Happy Acres Camp, where he encounters yet more adventures and danger before he begins to feel homesick.
The final book in the series is Ralph S Mouse which sees Ralph heading off to school and where we discover what the S stands for in Ralph S Mouse. Check out the full details for each title below!
The Mouse And The Motorcycle
In this imaginative adventure from Newbery Medal–winning author Beverly Cleary, a young mouse named Ralph is thrown into a world of excitement when a boy and his shiny toy motorcycle check in to the Mountain View Inn.
When the ever-curious Ralph spots Keith’s red toy motorcycle, he vows to ride it. So when Keith leaves the bike unattended in his room one day, Ralph makes his move. But with all this freedom (and speed!) come a lot of obstacles. Whether dodging a rowdy terrier or keeping his nosy cousins away from his new wheels, Ralph has a lot going on! And with a pal like Keith always looking out for him, there’s nothing this little mouse can’t handle.
This timeless classic now features a foreword written by New York Times bestselling author Kate DiCamillo, as well as an exclusive interview with Beverly Cleary herself.
The Mouse and the Motorcycle is perfect for independent reading or for shared reading at home or in a classroom. This fun story is the first of a trilogy, along with Runaway Ralph and Ralph S. Mouse, all inspired by the author’s hope to create appealing books for boys and girls—and by the sight of her son playing with toy cars.
Runaway Ralph
Newbery Medal-winning author Beverly Cleary ramps up the humor and adventure in the second book in the Ralph S. Mouse trilogy.
With a motorcycle to rev and the open road to see, Ralph S. Mouse is itching to run away from his overprotective family! But once he escapes to a summer campground nearby, the horrors of the wild make him doubt his plan. Angry cats, scary watchdogs, and grouchy gophers are only the half of it…
But then he befriends Garf, a sad and friendless boy at the camp. Though he wants desperately to be back home with his relatives, Ralph realizes that he may need to help Garf before he can help himself.
Runaway Ralph is perfect for independent reading or for shared reading at home or in a classroom. This fun story is the second of a trilogy, along with The Mouse and the Motorcycle and Ralph S. Mouse, all inspired by the author’s hope to create appealing books for boys and girls—and by the sight of her son playing with toy cars.
Ralph S Mouse
In this third and final Ralph S. Mouse novel from Newbery Medal–winning author Beverly Cleary, Ralph heads to school to see what humans do all day . . . and to discover what the “S” in Ralph S. Mouse stands for!
With his rowdy cousins constantly wearing out his motorcycle and the Mountain View Inn manager threatening to take care of the mouse infestation once and for all, Ralph decides it’s time to get away for a while. He convinces his human friend Ryan to take him along to school, where Ralph instantly becomes the center of attention.
But when Ryan’s class decides to see how smart Ralph is by making him run a maze, the usually confident mouse starts to fret. What if he’s not as clever as he thought?
Ralph S. Mouse is perfect for independent reading or for shared reading at home or in a classroom. This fun story is the third of a trilogy, along with The Mouse and the Motorcycle and Runaway Ralph, all inspired by the author’s hope to create appealing books for boys and girls—and by the sight of her son playing with toy cars.
Film Adapatations
Each book in the series has been adapted into three short film specials. The first movie, The Mouse And The Motorcycle was released in 1986, the second movie, Runaway Ralph, was then released in 1988 with the third in the series, Ralph S Mouse becoming available in 1990.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the order of the Ralph S. Mouse books?
The order of the Ralph S Mouse books is as follows:
- The Mouse And The Motorcycle
- Runaway Ralph
- Ralph S Mouse
What reading level is Ralph the mouse?
The recommended reading level for Ralph the mouse is grade 3-7, ages 6-9 years, depending on the reading level of the child then they may need some assistance.
What does S stand for in Ralph S. Mouse?
We learn in the third book of the series, Ralph S Mouse, that the S in Ralph S Mouse stands for Smart!
What is the first Ralph S. Mouse book?
The first Ralph S Mouse book is The Mouse And The Motorcycle.
